The Waif of the "Cynthia" eBook

After leaving the mouth of the Lena, Nordenskiold
had directed his course toward the islands of New
Siberia, which he wished to explore, but finding it
almost impossible to approach them, on account of the
ice which surrounded them, and the shallowness of the
water in that vicinity, he abandoned the idea, and
resumed his course toward the east. The “Vega”
encountered no great difficulties until the 10th of
September, but about that time a continuance of fogs,
and freezing nights, compelled her to slacken her
speed, besides the darkness necessitated frequented
stoppages. It was therefore the 27th of September
before she reached Cape Serdze-Kamen. They cast
her anchor on a bank of ice, hoping to be able the
next day to make the few miles which separated her
from Behring’s Straits and the free waters of
the Pacific. But a north wind set in during the
night, and heaped around the vessel great masses of
ice. The “Vega” found herself a prisoner
for the winter at the time when she had almost accomplished
her work.

“It was a great disappointment to us, as you
can imagine!” said the young astronomer, “but
we soon rallied our forces, and determined to profit
by the delay as much as possible, by making scientific
investigations. We made the acquaintance of the
‘Tschoutskes’ of the neighborhood, whom
no traveler has hitherto known well, and we have made
a vocabulary of their language, and also gathered together
a collection of their arms and utensils. The
naturalists of the ‘Vega’ have also been
diligent, and added many new arctic plants to their
collection. Lastly, the end of the expedition
has been accomplished, since we have doubled Cape
Tchelynskin, and traversed the distance between it
and the mouth of the Yenisei and of the Lena.
Henceforth the north-east passage must become a recognized
fact. It would have been more agreeable for us,
if we could have effected it in two months, as we
so nearly succeeded in doing. But provided we
are not blocked in much longer, as the present indications
lead us to hope, we will not have much to complain
of, and we shall be able to return with the satisfaction
of knowing that we have accomplished a useful work.”

While listening to their guide with deep interest,
the travelers were pursuing their way. They were
now near enough to the “Vega” to see that
her deck was covered over with a large canvas, and
that her sides were protected by lofty masses of snow,
and that her smoke-stacks had been carefully preserved
from contact with the ice.

The immediate approach to the vessel was still more
strange; she was not, as one would have expected,
completely incrusted in a bed of ice, but she was
suspended, as it were, in a labyrinth of lakes, islands,
and canals, between which they had been obliged to
throw bridges formed of planks.

“The explanation is very simple,” said
the young astronomer, in reply to a question from
Erik. “All vessels that pass some months
surrounded by ice form around them a bed of refuse,
consisting principally of coal ashes. This is
heavier than snow, and when a thaw begins, the bed
around the vessel assumes the aspect which you behold.”